Skateboarding is not a crime is a slogan advocating for the right of anyone to enjoy skateboarding. [1]
Many civilians will criticise and even mock skateboarders when it is in actuality a respectable sport that is proven to help kids and adults struggling with mental health as it is a creative escape. Using skateboards on UK roads, pavements, and public areas is also perfectly legal and it is a common misconception for civilians to believe otherwise.
In 1987 skateboard company Powell Peralta initiated an advertising campaign using "skateboarding is not a crime" as their slogan. [2] Their 1988 advertising video, Public Domain, showed skateboarders in various locations which displayed stickers showing the slogan. [1]
In 1997 skateboard company NHS, Inc. began formal use of the slogan for their brand. [1]
Various commentators in the skateboarding community have discussed what the phrase means to them. [3] [4] [5]
Skateboarding at the 2020 Summer Olympics raised the profile of the sport, leading commentators to reflect on how skateboarding has been called a crime but now people take it more seriously. [6]
The phrase has been used to advertise skateparks in locations where skateboarding is encouraged. [7] It has also been used for the opposite to explain where skateboarding is discouraged. [8]
Skateboarding is an action sport that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry job, and a method of transportation. Originating in the United States, skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2009 report found that the skateboarding market is worth an estimated $4.8 billion in annual revenue, with 11.08 million active skateboarders in the world. In 2016, it was announced that skateboarding would be represented at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, for both male and female teams. Skateboarding made its Olympic debut in 2020 and was included in the 2024 games.
Anthony Frank Hawk, nicknamed Birdman, is an American former professional skateboarder, entrepreneur and the owner of the skateboard company Birdhouse. A pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding, Hawk completed the first documented "900" skateboarding trick in 1999. He also licensed a skateboarding video game series named after him, published by Activision that same year. Hawk retired from competing professionally in 2003 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential skateboarders of all time.
John Rodney Mullen is an American professional skateboarder who practices freestyle skateboarding and street skateboarding. He is considered one of the most influential skateboarders of all time. Mullen is credited for inventing numerous tricks, including the flatground ollie, kickflip, heelflip, impossible, and 360-flip. As a result, he has been called the "Godfather of modern street skating."
Mike Vallely, also known as Mike V, is an American professional skateboarder and musician. Since November 2013, he has been the lead vocalist of the hardcore punk band Black Flag. Vallely is the second-longest-serving member of the band, although he has not appeared on any albums.
Powell Peralta is an American skateboard company founded by George Powell and Stacy Peralta in 1978. The company rose to prominence in the 1980s as skateboarding began maturing as a sport. The company featured the Bones Brigade, a team featuring the era's top competitors. Peralta left the company in 1991 and Powell continued to produce skateboard equipment as Powell, Bones Bearings and RollerBones. The two company founders reunited to produce the company's now classic inventory under the name Powell Classic.
Alan "Ollie" Gelfand is an influential American skateboarder, racing driver, and entrepreneur credited with inventing the ollie, the foundational skateboarding trick.
Tommy Guerrero is an American musician, composer, and professional skateboarder.
World Industries is an American brand that offers skateboarding products, accessories and clothing. The company was founded by Steve Rocco in 1987. In 1988, Rocco was joined by skater, Rodney Mullen, and then Mike Vallely in 1989. As of 2014, World Industries operates under GVS America, a subsidiary of INA Sports Inc. & FGL Sports Ltd. The company also makes and sells longboards.
Lords of Dogtown is a 2005 American biographical drama film that captures the rise of skateboarding culture in the 1970s Santa Monica and Venice, California. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke and written by Stacy Peralta, a key figure in the skateboarding community, the film chronicles the lives of the Z-Boys, a group of young skateboarders who revolutionized the sport with their aggressive style and innovative tricks. The story focuses on the lives of three of these skateboarders: Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, and Jay Adams, as they navigate fame, rivalry, and personal challenges. The film explores the impact of commercialization on the sport and the lives of its practitioners. Despite mixed reviews and underperforming at the box office, it has gained a cult following and is recognized for its authentic portrayal of skateboarding culture and history.
Ray Barbee is an American skateboarder, photographer, and musician from San Jose, California.
Robert Lance Mountain is an American professional skateboarder and artist who was one of the prominent skateboarders throughout the 1980s, primarily due to his involvement with the Bones Brigade. As of August 2017, Mountain continues to skate professionally and his sponsors include Flip, Nike SB, Independent Trucks, Spitfire Wheels, and Bones Bearings.
Mike McGill is an American skateboarder who is best known for inventing the trick entitled the "McTwist", an inverted 540 degree mute grab aerial.
Jim Thiebaud is an American skateboarder.
Birdhouse Skateboards is an American skateboard company formed by ex-Powell Peralta professional skateboarders Tony Hawk and Per Welinder in 1992.
Colin McKay is a Canadian professional skateboarder who is widely recognized for his involvement with the original Plan B Skateboards "superteam" as well as the subsequent relaunch of the brand in 2005.
A skate video is a movie of or about skateboarding typically showing new tricks and a series of skateboarders in a montage set to music.
Dwindle Distribution is an American skateboarding distributor based in El Segundo, California. It is a component of Transom Capital Group Limited. The company was founded by Steve Rocco and Rodney Mullen. Its formation is recognized as a key event in the creation of a skateboard company owned by people actively involved in the skateboarding lifestyle.
Robert Doucet Boyce, known as Sluggo, is a professional skateboarder, snowboarder, break-dancer, gymnast, stuntman, and businessman from Vancouver, British Columbia.
Salman Agah is an American professional skateboarder and entrepreneur.
Andy Anderson is a Canadian professional skateboarder. Anderson is best known for his unique style, which blends classic tricks of the early decades of skateboarding with more modern techniques. Anderson is known for always wearing a protective helmet while skateboarding, which is extremely uncommon among professional street skateboarders. Anderson represented Canada in the men's park skateboarding event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.